News

Elevator concerns addressed

By Scott Wagar

08/12/2014

The issues of noise that comes from the local elevator in Bottineau, along with railroad cars spending long periods of time on the track and across roadways in town came up during the city council meeting this past Monday.

In the council meeting, Mayor Ben Aufforth discussed what took place during the last planning committee meeting. Aufforth mentioned that local residents have complained about the noise from the elevator and railroad cars that are blocking the streets in Bottineau making it almost impossible for the local individuals to get around the city in a timely manner.   

Aufforth stated that, in meeting with Wayne Johnson of the Bottineau Farmers Elevator, Johnson stated that the noise being heard in the local neighborhoods is due to aerations fans on the crops being stored in the elevators. The fan vents are facing toward the city and are causing loud decibels in the residential neighborhoods.

The elevator has stated that they will look into the issue to see if the noise can be reduced by some sort of sound absorption device.

However, the elevator stated the aeration fans will have to stay on until rail cars can get to the city and load the crops on to the cars, which is taking some time because rail cars are in high demand in the state.   

When it came to railroad cars in the community blocking roadways for long periods of time, the elevator stated that this issue is out of their control because once all the cars are attached, the cars cannot be moved until the entire brake system on each car is inspected and approved.

The elevator did state that they have made requests that the train move out of city limits before making its inspection on its brakes, but the railroad has said they cannot do that due to legal reasons.
The council made the decision to discuss these issues more to see if they can solve the problems with the elevators and railroad.